1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal connected to an external connection apparatus such as a charger, and to a portable device such as a portable telephone, a PDA (Portable Digital Assistant), a laptop computer, or the like using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a portable device such as a portable telephone, a PDA, and a laptop computer has power supply terminals on an opening side of a housing configuring the portable device in order to charge a battery provided in its interior with a charger. The power supply terminals are abutted on electrodes of the charger so as to supply electric power to the battery.
FIGS. 9 and 10 shows an example of conventional power supply terminals. Pair of terminals 3 are configured integrally with an interface connector 4. In FIGS. 9 and 10, reference numeral 1 denotes a circuit board accommodated in a housing 2 of the portable device. The interface connector 4 is disposed in the center of one end side of the circuit board 1. The pair of terminals 3 are formed on the circuit board 1 integrally with the interface connector 4 so as to be respectively located on both left and right sides of the interface connector 4. The terminals 3 are disposed so as to expose from an opening 2a of the housing 2. Bosses 5 are provided on a lower cover 2a so as to join an upper cover and the lower cover 2a configuring the housing 2 by means of screws. As the boss 5 is inserted in a hole 1a formed in the circuit board 1, the circuit board 1 is positioned within the lower cover 2a. 
In order to charge an unillustrated battery provided in the portable device, the terminals 3 of the portable device are come into contact with the electrodes of the charger.
FIG. 11 shows another example of conventional power supply terminals. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 6 denotes a circuit board accommodated in a housing of an unillustrated portable device; reference numeral 7 denotes a key top attached to a side of the circuit board 6 serving as an outer side of the housing; reference numeral 8 denotes a panel assembly; reference numeral 9 denotes a leaf spring-type terminal inserted in a fitting hole of the panel assembly 8 such that a top of a semicircular portion 9a is brought into contact with a conductor formed on the circuit board 6; and reference numeral 7a denotes a holder of the key top 7. In FIG. 11, in order to charge the battery, a vertical surface 9b of the terminal 9 is brought into contact with an electrode of the charger.
JP-A-2001-127863 is referred to as a related art.
The terminals 3 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 are formed on the circuit board 1 integrally with the interface connector 4, and further the terminals 3 and a front end face of the interface connector 4 facing the opening 2a are flush with each other. Therefore, the position where each terminal 3 is disposed is restricted, and further the shape of the housing 2 on the side where the terminals 3 are disposed is restricted. For this reason, the flexibility in designing the portable device is low. Further, since the terminals 3 are bilaterally symmetrical, identical parts cannot be used for the left and right parts. As a result, variety of terminals 3 increases.
On the other hand, since the terminal 9 shown in FIG. 11 is of the leaf spring type, the terminal 9 must be disposed such that its vertical surface 9b becomes orthogonal to the circuit board 6. For this reason, the position where the terminal 9 is disposed is restricted, and the terminal 9 is easily deformed when the terminal 9 is pressed against the electrode of the charge. In addition, even though such terminals are used for a portable device, charging may not be effected with reliability. Thus there is a problem in reliability.